Episode 136

From the beginning, this land was a realm of death, teeming with monsters.

And the one who ruled over those monsters was Hertz.
To the monsters, humans were nothing more than playthings or prey.

It was then that Bergeus appeared through a dimensional gate.

A dragon with transcendent power, Bergeus drove the monsters back into the demon realm and erected a dimensional barrier to prevent them from ever invading the human world again.

Thanks to him, peace came to the human realm, and the people worshipped Bergeus, crowning him as their king.

But peace, it seemed, didn’t last long.

[There was a time when a deep rift formed between Bergeus and the humans. Even though they revered Bergeus for his overwhelming power, they also feared him.]

Askan spoke while crunching loudly on a cookie.

[Humans wanted Bergeus to return to his original dimension. They didn’t want him interfering in their affairs anymore.]

Even though they enjoyed peace because of Bergeus, and even gained supernatural abilities, they were an ungrateful lot, truly.

[And then some fool said this: that the reason Bergeus didn’t return to his home and instead settled in the human world was because of his human mate.]

Askan furrowed his brow as he continued.

[Humans can’t survive outside the human realm. Bergeus loved his mate, Laila, more than life itself. It’s true he stayed in the human world so he could be with her forever.]

“…No way.”

A chilling thought flashed through my mind.

And sure enough, Askan nodded, as if reading my mind.

[So the humans decided to kill Laila. To eliminate the reason Bergeus stayed in the human realm. Those fools staged it as an accident and killed her.]

“…….”

[Naturally, Bergeus flew into a rage over the sudden death of his mate. As he dug into the truth, he realized it was the humans’ doing. That’s when the real war began.]

It must have been the war where Bergeus was vilified as an evil dragon and seven heroes joined forces to fight him.

[But… I found out something new from the past I saw. It’s true humans killed Laila. But, to be precise, it was humans who had been manipulated by Hertz.]

“What? If they were manipulated… you mean they were brainwashed?”

[Yeah. That bastard deliberately tried to drive a wedge between Bergeus and the humans.]

“Then, if we just explain the truth to Bergeus, he can stop misunderstanding!”

[Right. We have to show him that his anger is directed at the wrong target. But… it won’t be that easy.]

Askan pressed his fingers against his forehead, looking troubled.

[First of all, Bergeus has already awakened from his seal. You can meet him if you go to Aisil Lake in the south.]

“I’ll go and try to persuade him.”

[It’s not as simple as you think. That guy just woke up. After being sealed for over a thousand years, his body is saturated with demonic energy, and it’s driving him mad. He’s not only lost his reason—he’s vicious.]

Askan spoke with such a grave face that I swallowed dryly.

Honestly, I was nothing more than an insignificant bug before Bergeus.
He could snuff out my life with a single step.

Trying to persuade him would already be hard enough, considering his hatred toward humans, and now he was in a state where words probably wouldn’t even reach him.

As my expression turned grim, Askan spoke, as if saying, “Finally, you get it.”

[When I said you’d have to risk your life, I wasn’t joking. Even now, are you willing to go?]

“…….”

Even now, am I willing?

“Of course.”

I had decided not to run away from my feelings anymore.

I had finally faced my heart toward Ludwig head-on. I couldn’t turn my back now.
Rather than living a miserable life running away from Ludwig under the excuse of being pathetic and dramatic, it was better to crash headfirst into whatever lay ahead.

That was the way to save Ludwig, and the way not to betray myself.

The decision had already been made, with unwavering certainty in my heart.

And as if he had seen straight through me, Askan sighed and said,

[I figured you’d say that. Well, you are my contractor after all. You can use my powers freely. You won’t go down easily to a rampaging lizard’s kick.]

He glanced at the now-empty cookie plate with a look of regret and said,

[Borrow my strength and purify the toxins built up in that guy’s body. Once he’s calm enough to have a proper conversation, you can clear up the misunderstanding.]

“I’ll do it. Thank you, Askan. For everything you’re doing for me.”

 

[Hmph, effort my foot! It’s just entertainment, that’s all.]

I couldn’t help but laugh when I saw Askan looking so shy, and I reached out to ruffle his hair.

With him looking like a young boy, it really felt like I had gained a little brother.

[Honestly, you’re just like Sionna. Your behavior is exactly the same. You and Sionna are the only humans who have ever dared to pat this body’s head.]

I froze when my mother’s name came up.

Noticing this, Askan looked up at me with a sulky face, practically demanding that I keep patting him.

So I resumed ruffling his hair and said,

“Looks like it’s not just your body that’s gotten younger. You’re not a puppy, you know.”

[It’s just… thinking of Sionna after such a long time. I miss that kid.]

Suddenly, I remembered the conversation I recently had with Theodore and said,

“I have something I’m curious about, Askan.”

[What is it?]

“I heard something recently. So…”

I told Askan everything I had heard from Theodore at the imperial palace.

About how my mother had once fallen into the lake there, and how the crown prince was suspected of being involved.

Since Askan had been in a contract with my mother at the time, I figured he would know more about what really happened.

Askan listened silently, then frowned deeply.

[You’re telling me that dark energy back then was from the Crown Prince?]

“Dark energy?”

Theodore had also suspected that the Crown Prince had used dark magic at the time.

‘Could it really be… that Lucion is using dark magic?’

“What exactly happened back then? Why was my mother… why was she targeted?”

At my question, Askan began recounting the events of that day in a low voice.

[Like I’ve always said, Hertz is trying to merge the demon realm and the human world into one. And to do that, he’s always tried to eliminate me, the biggest obstacle. Because of an ancient seal I placed long ago, he can’t use his full power.]

I sat on the sofa across from Askan, focusing on his words.

[But since my true form is in the spirit realm, I can’t be killed easily. The only way is to attack my physical manifestation through my contractor in the human world.]

Askan spoke with a solemn face.

[Twenty years ago, Sionna was walking through the imperial palace, holding a crying you in her arms. Out of nowhere, she was ambushed by dark magic, and both of you fell into the lake, in a perilous situation.]

He looked troubled, as if reliving the memory.

[I immediately tried to save Sionna, but she rejected my summoning. She barely managed to pull you out of the lake and purified your body, which had been tainted by the dark energy.]

“…….”

[Sionna was rescued by people who rushed to the scene, and she survived. But her body, corrupted by dark magic, couldn’t hold on for long.]

Askan buried his face in his hands.

[If I had manifested fully at that time, Hertz would’ve killed me right then and there. Sionna… she sacrificed herself to save both me and you. It was then I realized that Hertz had returned to this world.]

I clenched my fists so tightly that my hands turned white.

“So it was Hertz’s doing… again.”

At my words, Askan nodded.

[Yeah. And now you’re telling me that the dark energy back then was from the Crown Prince…]

Askan looked straight at me and said,

[It seems Hertz has reincarnated into the Crown Prince’s body this time.]

Lucion von Terium.

The next emperor, the one enjoying overwhelming support from the people of the empire, was actually the reincarnation of Hertz…?

I found myself thinking of him again—the man who had stood by Jenna’s side at the banquet today.